Not the Girl You Think
by Eve4000
Summary: Lila's dad dies, she does something drastic and uncovers a mystery on the way. Added more detail! Chapter 7 is up! Please R+R!
1. Introduction

Not the Girl You Think  
  
By: Eve K. Lily and Candy C. Lollypop  
  
All the characters in this story are fictitious, and any resemblance to  
actual persons, living or dead, is purely confidential.  
  
I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD! OKAY?!? Okay.  
  
  
Everything is for the good, right? I can't answer that question. There are a lot of things I can't answer. Like, why did she do this for me? Did she do this for her own daughter and son? Why did Daddy date her in the first place? Did he know? I know I am supposed to tell someone, so I write this story to you.  
  
I am Lila Sloan.  
And this is my story. 


	2. The Woman

Chapter 1  
  
It all started when I came home from school on Friday. No school for 2 days. It was much to my surprise to see Daddy sitting in the living room with this woman that I have never seen before as soon as I open the door. "Lila, this is Lisa Lamarre," Daddy said. "I'm so pleased to meet you," I responded, after I curtsied, of course. She was a tan, Black woman with brown eyes, and brown hair. She seemed nice, almost had an angelic glow around her face. My dad told me about her. They were dating for 5 months and he promised that I would meet her one- day.  
  
2 hours later of sharp discussion, I walked to my room and collapsed on my bed. Let me tell you a little about myself. I am from Alabama but I moved to Hillwood City and I used to go to P.S. 118. I had a reputation to be perfect so I was depended upon to keep that title, even though I lost the "ever-so". Before I knew it, it was 8:15 pm and dad went to work. Daddy was a nurse that works at night. While I was in my room I could here Daddy say, "Lisa, please stay with Lila. I'll be back in the morning," and kissed her before he shut the door.  
  
I came out and we sat down, very quietly. "Well, how's school?" Lisa tried to make a conversation. "It's going well," I responded, trying to sound cheerful. I hoped we wouldn't talk anymore. "So, I was wondering," Please don't bring it up, please don't bring it up, I prayed, "What happened to your mother?" She had to bring it up! I tried to choke back my tears, but I couldn't. Tears dropped onto my skirt, and I couldn't stop them. Even as I wiped my eyes, they just poured like waterfalls as I managed to say a few words: "I don't want to talk about it!"  
  
I ran to my room and slammed the door. I am very sensitive about my mom. You see she died once I turned two. I only have a few memories of her; when I can't remember much, even though I don't have a religion, I pray to God, or something, so I could remember more. Every time someone mentions her, I have this memory of the day she died. I remember my dad getting off the phone and I saw him crying. I asked, "What's wong, Daddy?" He said, "Lila, mommy's gone." "When is she coming back?" I asked. "She's not." It wasn't after a while that I knew why. Breast Cancer. And since then, I always worried about Dad leaving, about being left alone in this world. No one to protect me, no one to comfort me, absolutely no one.  
  
Then the phone rang. It was the hospital that Daddy worked at and they said it was important. "Is a grown-up home?" they asked. So, I called Lisa and she picked up the phone. "Hello?.. Uh-huh.WHAT?!....I'll be right there, thank you,..Okay, bye." She hung up with haste. "Lila, we gotta go to the hospital." "Why, Lisa?" "No time to explain, we've gotta go now!"  
  
She dragged me out to the car and sped all the way to the Lady of Nausea Medical Center. We ran and almost slammed into the front desk. "Where is Mr. Sloan's room?" Lisa demanded. The woman looked up from her files and said, "It's one floor up, three doors down." We ran up the stairs and busted though the door. "Daddy, what happened?" He had a neck brace and a bandage full of blood on his forehead. Even by the way he was breathing it looked like he cracked a rib. I was in shock. I had no idea what happened to him. He lifted his head. "Honey?"  
  
I sprinted to his bedside. "What's going on, what happened to you?" He opened his eyes and said, "I love you Lila and Lisa...." closed his eyes, and there was a sharp ear-piercing noise that can also pierce someone's heart. He was dead. The doctors came in and covered him with a white cloth. 


	3. I'm leaving!

Chapter 2  
  
3 days later  
  
I found out later that he was in a car crash. He died from loss of blood and we buried him in a short time. The day after, to be exact. We didn't have any real relatives. So we just got a bare piece of land and we buried him there. It was almost time for school. Lisa was packing my lunch. Once she was finished, I grabbed my lunch and book bag, said "goodbye", and ran out the door.  
  
It was a brisk, cold morning, enough to chill your bones. I was about 2 yards away from the bus stop and I had decided to walk. I had too much to think about. On the walk to school, I thought about how the day would be like. Facing 6th grade without knowing someone is supporting you. Seeing Mr. Frank and the class. The weather seemed to respond to my feelings, as it got colder, windier, darker.  
  
When I got to school, I rushed to the familiar classroom. The teal blue walls mixed with gray, the beige tile floors, the wooden desks. The first thing I heard when I entered the class was Mr. Frank's, "Lila, I am so sorry about what happened to you're father on the weekend!" Since all of us entered in the room at the same time, everyone turned their heads and asked, "What happened to your dad, Lila?"  
  
I sighed and said, "My dad died on Friday night in a car accident." Everyone became silent, like as a tribute. Arnold was the first to react. He came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Lila." I turned my head to meet Arnold's eyes. "I'm sorry too," I whispered, and I could feel a tear coming down my cheek. When Arnold spotted it, he quickly wiped it away. I gave him a solemn smile, and feeling like I would break down any minute, I went to my seat.  
  
I couldn't concentrate through the day and was relived when lunchtime came. I couldn't take staying in the class anymore. I sat at my usual table, but a lot of the class was crowding around it by the time I got to my seat. Nadine spoke up, "Lila, if you don't mind, how exactly did your dad die?" There was a chorus of "yeah"s as I closed my eyes. Why not, I compromised, they'll find out somehow anyway.  
  
I sighed once again and figured that I might as well. I pushed my lunch aside and started the tale. "It was Friday night and my dad was going to his job at the hospital. He said he'd be back in the morning and he left his girlfriend to baby-sit me. Later on I got a call from the hospital he worked at, telling us to come immediately. By the time we got to his room, he only got to say a few words and then he died. Later someone told us that he was hit by a drunk driver. Surprising the accident was near the hospital. He was buried on Saturday."  
  
By the looks on their faces, everyone was in a thoughtful mood. Just about everyone in the lunchroom heard.  
  
"So who are you staying with, Lila?" Rhonda brought up.  
  
"Now I'm just left with Lisa, his girlfriend." I responded.  
  
"Not with relatives?" Sid asked  
  
"I don't have anymore relatives, not around here anyway."  
  
"Lila, are you ok?" Timberly came over from her table.  
  
"Yeah, I'm ok."  
  
The bell rang for recess and everyone got up to leave. I packed my lunch and headed for the door. But as I was about to leave, someone yelled, "Hey Lila, wait up!"  
  
I quickly turned around to see Helga running toward me. She really changed over the years. She's become kinder, friendlier, and not so defensive. She finally caught up, panted, and straightened up, "Lila, I know that we're not really close, and I was your enemy for most of 4th grade, but I'm sorry about your dad."  
  
"Thanks," I responded and added, "you know, when you think about it, this would fit one of those commercials that say not to drink and stuff." "Yeah, it does. They should put Big Bob in there, too!" We talked for the rest of recess, and I actually forgot my troubles.  
  
After school I did my homework, but the doorbell rang and Lisa rushed to get it. Being incredibly curious, I sneaked near the door to listen. I heard a man's voice saying, "She has no relatives and I don't think you can be her guardian, so I have no choice but to put her in an orphanage." I popped out of my hiding place and shouted, "Why do I have to go to an orphanage? Can't I stay with Lisa?"  
  
The trench coat-covered man shook his head and said, "It's not possible." He was also wearing a brown hat and you could not see his face. Lisa stepped up and tried to reason, "Why can't I? You just can't leave this girl in a strange place, make her leave everything she knows against her free will!" But the man shot at her several reasons why she couldn't and she gave up hope. She turned to me and whispered while tears flowed down her eyes, "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do now, but I'll find a way. Go get ready, you have to leave tomorrow."  
  
When she said that, my heart was in pieces. I walked slowly and closed the door to my room. I pulled a diary, a little green velvet covered book, and started to write in it. Here's what it said:  
  
Dear Diary,  
As you know, my dad died and I'm now staying with Lisa. Well, a guy just came over and said I have to go to an orphanage because Lisa can't be my guardian. Not if I can help it. I visited the local orphanage once and it was horrible. Not enough food, too many people, and they adopt you to whoever to make more room. I don't want to do that. So I decided I would run away, back to Alabama. I still have some friends there and I could live there. I'll go south from town to town until I get there. I guess I'm off.  
  
See ya,  
Lila  
  
I closed my diary and slipped it in my book bag. I also packed my book bag with food, towels, warm clothes, and a picture of Mommy, Daddy, and me. At 12 o' clock A.M. I climbed out the window and it started raining lightly. But, before I could run away, I had to visit Daddy's grave. When I got there, I dropped a note I wrote to him and walked away with a heart full of sadness. But then I was a bright light....... 


	4. Never Hitchhike

Chapter 3  
  
While I was walking down the side of the road I noticed a green minivan making its way in my direction, I tried to get the drivers attention but all that happened was it passed by and splashed me. "Wait! Please wait!" I shouted as I ran after it.  
  
Soon enough he stopped and let me catch up. Upon getting to the side of the van the man rolled the window down and looked at me curiously. "I'm sorry to stop you, but I really need to get to Romero City, sir, could you maybe take me there?" I panted, hoping he would consider, even though it was about 3 and a half hours away.  
  
"Sure come up in front," he said motioning towards the passengers' side.  
  
When I climbed in I looked over and noticed he was probably 36, had jet black hair and dark brown eyes, something told me he was bad news...but I climbed in anyways, anything to get to my destination.  
  
I was impatiently looking at the clock; 3:04 it flashed. Already 3 o' clock. I looked out the window while we were passing the green billboard. I strained to see what it said. When I finally got a clear picture, I only saw "Romero: 20 mi." Almost there, I thought, I'm almost there. Then, without warning, he suddenly swerved off the highway and began heading for the woods. As my body slammed into the car door, I was questioning silently what he was doing. Maybe it's a shortcut or something, I tried to reason with my doubt, but grave thoughts still danced in my head. He suddenly turned to a walking path and drove on, for about another 15 or 20 minutes, I wasn't sure what was going on so I sat silent, as the growing uncertainty turned into a burning fear, something bad was about to happen. Suddenly he stopped in the middle of what looked to be an abandoned campsite; locking the doors he turned to me with a strange and evil glint in his eyes and suddenly shoved me into the backseat.  
  
I screamed once in both shock and terror and before I realized what was going on he was in the backseat on top of me, pinning me down, and started to slip my jumper off. I asked "What are you doing?" He just said, "Shut up, girl!" as he slapped my face. It burned like a fire. What is he doing, I panicked. He jerked off my locket, a 10th birthday present from the students at school. He moved his hand toward my chest and started unbuttoning my shirt. I was scared as I realized what he was doing. And suddenly, he grabbed me and kissed me, jamming his tongue into my mouth as he slipped my under wear off even as I was kicking. I was struggling to get away, but his grip was too strong. When he noticed I was trying to escape he pulled me closer. Close enough that I could feel his hot, stuffy breath. He wandered his hands to my bra strap and was trying to unfasten it. We rolled across the seat, me trying to escape and him trying to keep me close. He finally unhooked my bra strap and ripped it off my chest. As I watched it fall to the floor, I was certain I had to take action. 


	5. She Had Children?

Chapter 4  
  
I quickly decided, and bit his tongue as hard as I could. He hollered in pain as he dropped me to the floor. I spotted my bag, grabbed it, and opened the car door to escape. But as soon as I was about to get out, he grabbed me from the arm and was pulling me in. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"I shouted, kicked him in the balls, jumped down and ran for my life. I found the way out and was running down the highway with my bag slung around my shoulder. I never stopped, no matter who was watching, no matter how tired I was, no matter how badly I needed a break, in fear that that rapist would catch up.  
  
I finally made it to town, completely naked, never letting go of my bag. Luckily no one was outside except for one woman, standing on her porch, looking around. She was a tall, redheaded person with a green shirt and capris. I questioned her saying out, but quickly dismissed it out of my mind. As soon as she saw me, her eyes were as wide as plates. "OMG! What are you doing, running in the streets like that?" She ran down to see me. Then I told her the whole story, in a much shorter version. Suddenly the man was running up the street. Probably going to act like my dad or something, I thought. I started to imagine.  
  
He comes up and says, "Daughter, why did you run away again?" I say "I'm not your daughter!" "Stop lying, girl. I'm sorry for any trouble this has caused you," he would say to the woman. "But she said something about running away from." she'll start. "She always uses that excuse," he'd say "Let's go home," he'll say and drag me along.  
  
I shuddered to think. "Please get me some clothes and a long rope; no, I'm not crazy," I added, just in case she asked about the rope. When I got the rope, I lassoed him, sprayed him with water from a hose, and tied him up. Pretty impressive, huh? Then I called 911 and put on a teal blue robe she laid on the couch. After the police came, so did the press. I told them not to show my face, but said, "I'm oh so glad I did that," just for the hint.  
  
But I also added, "Some girls would have sat there, not knowing what to do; others would have just kicked and yelled aimlessly in the middle of the forest. So sometimes you need to take action; it just might save your life." When the reporters asked what I meant by "it just might save your life", I just shuddered and said "No comment for now."  
  
Much later, everyone drove off, to get this "breaking news" to the papers and the TV. The lady finally approached me and introduced herself.  
  
"I'm Margaret Johnson, you can just call me Mrs. J if you want to. Sorry I was so caught up in everything that I couldn't tell you my name." "It's okay. I'm Lila Sloan." "You know, you can stay if you like." "Thank you, Mrs. J." She genuinely smiled and walked into the kitchen.  
  
I soon found out that she had adopted kids when they came home with her husband from P.S. 120. There were 2 of them, a boy and a girl. The girl was my age, 12, was tan, had brown eyes, and brown, wavy hair. The boy looked the same way, only with shorter, curly hair and a shorter body too. Somehow they looked familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. After a while we settled down for dinner and then I told them my story in the living room after dessert.  
  
"Wow, I can't believe you almost got ..raped," the girl said. "I know," Mrs. J said, "good thing I was there. I always knew that staying out in the mornings were good." The girl started again, "If Mom wasn't outside, think what could have happened." The was a long silence until the girl said, "Oh yeah, I never told you our names. I'm Jenna and my brother is Jeffrey. Our last names used to be Lamarre."  
  
"Really?" I asked. "Was your mother's mane Lisa?"  
  
"We think so," Jeffery answered. "Something happened and she had to go away. Almost every night dad used to take her picture and say, 'I miss you, Lisa'." "They thought he was crazy when they heard him," Jenna answered. Jeffery crept up to Jenna and whispered in her ear, "Who would blame them?" I would have rolled my eyes, but I was deep in thought. Could this be the same woman that watched me when my father died? Well, there was only one way to find out. 


	6. Research

Chapter 5  
  
"What hospital were you born at?" I questioned. "Why do you want to know?" Jeffery snapped. "Jeffery!" Jenna snapped back. "Anyway, we were born in Thomas Edison Hospital. It's 3 blocks away from here, which is also near our old house. It's a big white building, has about 5 stories. You can't miss it," she explained. Ooh, with details! "Well, thank you for saving me but I'm really tired. I should go to bed," I yawned. "Good, it's late anyway," Mr. Johnson said as he looked at the clock, "we already have a room set up for you. It's upstairs next to Jenna's room." "Thank you. Good night," I said as I went upstairs.  
  
I went to the room reserved for me; it was beautiful! The room was colored emerald green with a bed that had the same color sheets. I unpacked and whipped out my diary. This is what I wrote that night:  
  
Dear Diary, Hi! It's me again. As you know, I ran away from home so I wouldn't have to go to an orphanage. I've come a long way since I left and I will tell you all about it. First, when I left I went to Daddy's grave to say goodbye. I needed to get somewhere so I hitchhiked with a man and he almost raped me! But I escaped him and ran to the town I was headed for, completely naked! At a house I passed there was a woman who asked me what happened. I told her the story and she got me a robe to wear. I lassoed the guy, got on the news, and now I'm staying with the woman whose name is Mrs. Johnson. She has two adopted kids whose names are Jenna and Jeffery. They were taken away from their dad, but their mom left them. And guess what? Her name is Lisa! They told me the hospital wear they were born so I'm going to check. I have to check their files. Wish me luck!  
  
I'm out,  
Lila  
  
That night, when everyone was asleep I sneaked out of the house with black clothes and my backpack through the window next to the drainpipe. I looked and saw the hospital was in the south. I lid down and ran toward it. Once I got near to the entrance I took off my black clothes, but I had white clothes under. I stuffed them into my bag and I walked into the hospital. As I looked inside I saw the office was empty for some reason. I quickly stepped in, sat by a computer, and typed in "File of Lisa Lamarre". It came up with a picture and a lot of info. It was she all right, and it said "mother of Jenna and Jeffery." I pulled out a notepad and copied it down. Wait, it said that her family's from Haiti? Oops! The notepad fell into a coffee puddle and was soaking wet. I looked outside and a nurse was coming in the office! I quickly printed it out, shut down the computer and crawled out of the room as soon as the nurse opened the door. Once I got out, I sped back to the Johnsons. I had to hurry back to figure this out! 


	7. All the Details

Chapter 6  
  
When I got to the house, I quickly climbed up the drainpipe by pulling and pushing my body up by the metal sticking up. I turned over into the room and finally closed the window. I immediately collapsed on the floor. I have never been so tired in my life! C'mon, I ran more than 20 miles, lassoed a guy, sneaked to get a profile and came back up the water drain. Plus, it was freezing! While I was on the floor, panting, I heard, "Lila, I thought you'd never come." "Wha-what?" I responded, as I sat up and looked around, even tough it was no use. It was as dark as tar. The person turned on the light and I suddenly saw.  
  
"Jenna, wha.?" I sputtered, too stunned to say anything else. She walked over saying, "I knew you would try something, you had that glint in your eye." She lifted me up and we sat on the bed. "Well, down there, I didn't tell you the whole story about my mom. But I don't think you'd want to hear about it now." She was reeling me in. "No! I wanna hear it," I managed to say as I moved closer. "Ok, if you're sure," she said as she began.  
  
"It was about 3 years ago, but it really started a while before that. Ever since I remember, Mom and Dad were fighting. I even remember sitting on the stairs as Mom and Dad were arguing. I watched Dad as he beat her. But she still stayed strong. And when I asked why she wasn't leaving, she said it was because of Jeffery and me. But later she had enough of Dad's beatings and they divorced.  
  
"She knew we wouldn't be safe with Dad so, even though we spent the most a month with him, she left us with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, her friends. When she left, she told us that as soon as she could provide for us, she'd come back to get us. During that time, they adopted us. I just wish I knew where my mother was."  
  
As I thought about everything, I put my hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye. As her eyes were tearing out of old memories, mine were bright with excitement. "Jenna, your mother, Lisa, is in Hillwood City." 


End file.
